Vibratory game apparatus



Dec. 28, 1954 E. F. KITOVICH VIBRATORY GAME APPARATUS Filed 001; 19, 1955 United States Patent VIBRATORY GAME APPARATUS Estelle F. Kitovich, Willimansett, Mass., assignor to The Electric Game Company, Holyoke, Mass., a corpora- Iion of Massachusetts Application October 19, 1953, Serial No. 386,747

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-143) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a game construction and is directed more particularly to the provision of an improved game device whereby in a game between players each endeavors to form complete words from letters which may be played.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide an improved game structure which is characterized by improved mechanical and electrical means which cooperate to produce a result in a game device that is not only interesting and entertaining in its play but also educational.

The present invention contemplates the employment of the rotor costruction similar to that disclosed in a patent to Edmund Abrahamson numbered 2,438,958 and dated April 6, 1948, and relating to a vibration actuated indicator.

More particularly, this invention relates to a game device which includes spinning wheels capable of stopping at a variety of chance combinations of characters by which certain plays are accomplished so as to accomplish the game.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device containing a plurality of rotating discs or rotors which stop in certain positions and form, by chance, various combinations of the letters visible thereon.

In pursuance of the foregoing objects, I provide a small, hand spinning game device in which the characters will stop at definite positions after a smooth long spin.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection. with the drawing forming part of this specification and wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the game device of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view, partly in diagrammatic form, along the line 22 of Fig. 1

While the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, I have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in detail one such embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

When building a gaming device, it is usually the aim to incorporate the psychological elements of expectancy. suspense, and sometimes surprise. These features among others often determine the appeal the device will have to the user and must be considered when such a contrivance is designed. Such a device in order to continue to be popular and in demand must be built mechanically to supply these elements through long periods of use.

In the drawing, a game board is designated by numeral which has delineated upon the upper surface thereof representations of a plurality of cross word puzzle blanks of any of the conventional forms having the usual blank white squares and the usual black squares in the horizontal and vertical rows.

The board 10 is seated within a frame member comprising grooved and spaced opposite side walls 14 and 14 and grooved and spaced opposite end walls 16 and 16 A lower or bottom wall member 20 is similarly seated Within the frame member at a distance away from the member 10 so as to provide a space therebetween for the various electrical and mechanical components of the construction as will be observed.

A source of energy in the form of a dry cell battery 22 has its opposite terminals in engagement with clips 24 and 24 which are secured as by rivets or the like (not shown) to the bottom wall member.

If desired, an opening 26 may be provided in the member 10 through which the battery 22 may extend to facilitate easy removal and replacement thereof.

A contact button 28of any conventional form may extend through an opening 30 in the member 10 and upon the depression thereof by a player a contact switch 32 of the conventional design may be closed so as to close the electrical circuit about to be described.

A leaf spring member 34 is fixed at one end thereof to the member 20 as by a rivet or the like and is so designed as to provide an elongated free end capable of vibrating relative to the board member 20.

The leaf spring 34 loosely and rotatably supports at its outer free end 35, the shaft 36 of a rotor 37. The rotor 37 carries on its outer periphery a plurality of indicia 38 representing letters of the alphabet.

The spring member 34 likewise supports a secondary leaf member 40 having one end fixed to the member 34 at an intermediate point therealong as by a rivet (not shown) or the like and separated therefrom by a spacer 42 or the like so as to facilitate vibratory movement of the member 40 relative to the member 34.

The opposite and free end of the leaf member 40 loosely and rotatably supports a shaft 45 of a rotor 46. Rotor 46 likewise carries on its outer periphery a glurality of indicia 48 representing letters of the alpha- The rotors 37 and 46 extend through openings 39 and 47 respectively in the board member 10 whereby same may be visually observed and readings may be taken therefrom as with the aid of printed arrows or similar marking devices appearing on the board 10 adjacent the openings 39 and 47 as shown.

An L-shaped relatively rigid electro-magnet supporting member 50 has one end thereof fixed to the leaf member 34 (as shown) and has a free end contact portion disposed over the member 34. The member 50 supports a downwardly depending electro-magnet 52 adjacent the outer free end.

A connection 54 connects the electro-magnet 52 and the contact portion at the free end of the member 50.

Another connection 56 connects the electro-magnet 52 and a terminal of the switch 32. i

A connection 58 connects the outer terminal of the switch 32 and one of the clip members 24.

A connection 60 connects the other of the clip members 24 and the member 34.

As aforesaid, the circuit is completed when the member 28 is depressed so as to close the switch 32.

When the electromagnet is energized, the leaf members and outer end of member 50 are attracted and repelled so that members 34 and 40 are vibrated to bring about rotation of the rotors 37 and 46.

The game is played by the depression of the member 28 so as to cause the member 34 to vibrate thereby rotating the rotors 37 and 46. Upon the release of the member 28, the circuit is broken and the rotors roll to a slow stop position.

A reading is taken from each of the rotors the letter adjacent the arrow or indicating device determining the reading for that particular turn of the player.

With the letters thus determined, as for example the letters L and H in Fig. l, the player is permitted to write such letters in any two spaces of any of the cross word charts provided.

Another player then takes his turn and obtains two additional letters which he also writes in any two empty spaces on the charts provided.

The game is finished when the white squares are all filled and the player successfully completing the largest number of words in the puzzles is the winner.

The invention may be embodied in specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and" variations as fall Within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended 'claim" are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and receive by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A garne device comprising in combination, a supporting structure including a bottom wall anda boardspaced thereabove secured together, a first elongated springlike' elongated member having an inner end secured to said bottom wall and afree outer end extending ina certain direction therefrom and beingout of'- contact with said'bottom Wall and board and provided at the extremity thereof with a-b'earing portion, a second spring-' like elongated spring-like member having an'inner end" first member and an outer free end extending along and space'd'above the'sec'o'nd'member and terminating above and adjacent the connection of the second and first member, an electromagnet fixed to said third member adjacent the termination thereof and between said second and third member, rotors rotatable in the bearing portions of the first and second members carrying indicia on the peripheries hereof, and said board provided with openings exposing upper portions of said rotors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 366,821 Dougherty July 19, 1887 935,258 Immer; Sept. 28, 1909 1,567,154 Knutson Dec. 29, 1925 1,613,204 Smith Jan. 4, 1927 2,438,958 Abrahamson Apr. 6, 1948 

